Apparatus and method for shortening laces while retaining the aglets thereon

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and method for shortening a shoe/boot lace, while retaining the aglets in place, are disclosed. The principle of the disclosure involves cutting a portion from the central part of the lace between the aglets, tying a knot(s) into both cut ends and threading the part laces through apertures in a housing to create a continuous, but shorter, lace. The shoe/boot may now be re-laced with the housing located at a suitable point, usually midway between the first pair of eyelets. The principle of the invention may be used in a purely functional way and/or to produce artistic effects on the footwear.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[S]

This application claims priority to a foreign patent application filed in the United Kingdom entitled “APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SHORTENING LACES WHILE RETAINING THE AGLETS THEREON,” application number GB0823289.4, filed Dec. 20, 2008, now pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This specification relates primarily to an apparatus and method by which a shoe or boot lace may be shortened, while still retaining the aglets at the ends of the laces, so that laces may subsequently be threaded through the eyelets without difficulty. The principle of the apparatus and method will have other applications all falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Boots and shoes are usually sold with laces. In the case of shoes, the laces are normally of an appropriate length for the number of eyelets and, when tied, the loops in the bows and free ends usually use the full length of the lace so that there is no excess lace, which might otherwise cause the wearer to trip over. On certain types of dancing shoes, excessively long laces are supplied as the free ends are tied around the ankle (and calf) as a decorative feature.

With boots, trainers and the like, long laces are usually provided as wearers normally want to tie them around the ankles, for extra security. This is acceptable for those who wish to use the footwear for heavy duty working or running activities but not for those who merely want to use, say, trainers for normal everyday activities. Here, tying laces around the ankles is not required or desirable. Pulling the excess lace into large bows and double knotting the bows adds extra time to the duty of putting on trainers and taking them off again afterwards. Some people find such a large knot unattractive. Further, if, to save time, the knotting of the bows is not done properly and the knot becomes undone, the wearer risks tripping over the lace or treading on it while walking and having a nasty fall.

As one way of overcoming these problems and risks, many young people stuff the ends of the lace into the trainer before they put it on and use the foot to secure the lace and keep it in place. It is clearly uncomfortable to walk on laces crumpled up inside a shoe and an alternative is to put on the trainer and stuff the lace ends down between the ankle and the sides of the shoe. Unfortunately in this latter case, laces often come free and it is not uncommon to see a young person walking around with a lace trailing behind—a very dangerous practice.

Thus, on Health and Safety, aesthetic and convenience grounds a means of shortening laces, so that they may be tied correctly, are urgently needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for shortening a shoe/boot lace, while retaining the aglets in place, comprising:—

-   -   i) a lace having aglets thereon; and     -   ii) a housing having an aperture(s);

characterised in that a portion of the lace is cut from the lace between the aglets, thus creating two part laces each having an aglet thereon, and that a knot(s) is/are tied adjacent to the cut ends of these part laces and that the aglets on the part laces are threaded through the aperture(s) in the housing and the part laces drawn through until the knots reach the aperture(s) and become fast at/adjacent to the aperture(s) so that the resulting lace is shorter than before, has an aglet at each end and the housing is located at an intermediate point and it may be used for lacing a shoe/boot.

According to a first variation of the apparatus of the invention, the lace is longer than that required for tying normally, unless the lace is also tied around the ankle.

According to a second variation of the apparatus of the invention, the portion of the lace cut out is cut symmetrically from the centre of the lace.

According to a third variation of the apparatus of the invention, the two cut part laces have essentially equal lengths.

According to a fourth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the portion of the lace cut out is cut asymmetrically with respect to the centre of the lace.

According to a fifth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the two cut part laces have unequal lengths.

According to a sixth variation of the apparatus of the invention, simple basic knots are tied adjacent to the cut ends of the part laces.

According to a seventh variation of the apparatus of the invention, the two cut ends of the part laces are tied together by a single knot.

According to an eighth variation of the apparatus of the invention, any excess length of lace between the knot and cut end is removed.

According to a ninth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the housing is essentially oval and cylindrical in shape with apertures at opposite ends through which the aglet and a normal diameter lace may pass but a knotted lace may not.

According to a tenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the housing has any appropriate shape with apertures at appropriate points through which the aglet and a normal diameter lace may pass but a knotted lace may not.

According to an eleventh variation of the apparatus of the invention, the housing has a continuous upper surface and a recess in the lower surface.

According to a twelfth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the recess in the housing communicates with the lace apertures in the ends of the housing and the recess is sized to accommodate the knot/two knots at the cut ends of the two part laces.

According to a thirteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the recess in the housing is so shaped that the tension on the laces draws the knot(s) into the recess and compresses the knot(s) to reduce any tendency for the knot(s) to come untied.

According to a fourteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the two part laces used are from two different single laces.

According to a fifteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the two part laces are of different colours.

According to the invention, there is provided a method for shortening a shoe/boot lace, while retaining the aglets in place, comprising:

-   -   i) providing a lace having aglets thereon;     -   ii) cutting out of a portion of the lace between the aglets so         forming two part laces each having an aglet thereon;     -   iii) tying a knot adjacent to the cut end of each part lace; and     -   iv) providing a housing and threading the aglets through an         aperture(s) in the housing and drawing the two part laces         through the aperture(s) until the knots reach the aperture(s)         and become fast at/adjacent to the aperture(s);         characterised in that the resulting lace is shorter than before,         has an aglet at each end and the housing is located at an         intermediate point and it may be used for lacing a shoe/boot so         that when laced and the ends of the laces are drawn tight, there         will be sufficient free lace to tie the lace properly without         having excess lace which might become a hazard to the wearer.

According to a first variation of the method of the invention, the lace is longer than that required for tying normally, unless the lace is also tied around the ankle.

According to a second variation of the method of the invention, equal lengths are cut from either side of the midpoint of the lace so that the two part laces have essentially equal lengths.

According to a third variation of the method of the invention, a length of lace is cut asymmetrically with respect to the midpoint of the lace so that the two part laces have unequal lengths.

According to a fourth variation of the apparatus of the invention, knots are tied adjacent to the cut ends of the part laces.

According to a fifth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the two cut ends of the part laces are tied together by a single knot.

According to a sixth variation of the apparatus of the invention, any excess lace between the knot and cut end is removed.

According to a seventh variation of the apparatus of the invention, the housing is oval and cylindrical in shape with apertures at opposite ends through which the aglet and a normal lace may be passed but a knotted lace may not.

According to an eighth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the housing has a continuous upper surface and a recess in the lower surface which communicates with the lace apertures in the ends of the housing.

According to a ninth variation of the method of the invention the recess is sized to accommodate the two knots at the cut ends of the two part laces or the single knot at the end of the two cut part laces.

In a preferred application of the invention, the excessively long laces, supplied with a pair of trainers or boots are removed from the trainers/boots. The two aglets on each lace are held together and the lace stretched out to find the midpoint. A predetermined length is now cut symmetrically from the middle and the cut ends knotted to create two part laces, with an aglet at one end and a knot at the other. Each of the part laces is now fed through a Lace Shortening Housing of the invention. Preferably, the housing has a recess giving access to two separate holes, sized to pass the laces but not when they are knotted. Each part lace is now fed, aglet first into the recess and out through one of the two holes. The part laces are drawn tight until the knots become fast in the recess, against the holes. The result is a shortened, continuous lace, from aglet to aglet, with the housing in the middle.

The shortened lace is now used to re-lace the trainer/boot, with the housing located between the first two eyelets, i.e. those nearest the toe on the trainer/boot. When lacing is complete and a foot is placed in the trainer/boot and the lace drawn tight, there will be adequate free lace to tie the knot properly but no undue excess to cause problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a clearer understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe incorporating the apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one form of the apparatus of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

If a person buys a pair of trainers 4 or boots, the laces 2 supplied therewith are likely to long enough to tie around the ankles when wearing the trainers/boots. Assuming that the trainers 4 are to be laced symmetrically, i.e. in the herringbone pattern (as shown in FIG. 1), the lacing will be such that, when pulled tight, the free ends of the lace will be approximately equal in length (as shown in FIG. 1). For example, assume that the lace 2 has a total length of 36 inches (approx. 900 mm). In this case, each half lace 2A, 2B, i.e. between midpoint 1A and aglets 9A, 9B respectively, would be about 18″ (inches)

(450 mm) long. Assuming that the half laces 2A, 2B could be laced and tied with an ideal length of 12″ (300 mm), there would then be an excess of two 6″ (150 mm) lengths of laces 2A, 2B.

To control this excess, the wearer has a number of options. He/she can enlarge the loops and hope that they do not catch on anything but, if they did, he/she would be likely to trip and pitch forward violently. He/she can extend the loops and double knot them together; this would give an excessively large knot, which some people would find ungainly. He/she could tuck the free ends inside the shoe, between the welt and against the ankle; this could be uncomfortable but, if the lace became free and the wearer accidently trod on it, they would risk a serious fall. Finally, he/she could cut off the excess. In this last case, the aglets would be lost, allowing the lace ends to fray and to be very difficult to re-lace, if they got pulled through the eyelets for any reason. None of these options is fully acceptable, having either safety, aesthetic or convenience drawbacks.

There is one other option. This is to remove lace 2 from trainer 4, cut a length out from the middle of the lace, i.e. symmetrically either side of midpoint 1A, knot the cut ends together and re-lace trainer 4. This would leave a knot (not shown) at point 1A (FIG. 1) and so would spoil the appearance of the laced trainer 4 but it would allow the free ends of laces 2A, 2B to be tied properly and safely. The visual objection to this option may be overcome by this disclosure.

The apparatus of the Lace Shortening Housing invention 1 is an oval cylindrical housing 5, with a continuous, upper surface 5A, a cylindrical edge 5B and a recess 6 in the underside (FIG. 2). The internal wall 7 of recess 6 has conically shaped sides and holes 8A, 8B, through edge 5B, communicate with recess 6.

To use the Lace Shortening Housing 1, the aglets 9 of lace 2 are held together and the two ‘halves’ 2A, 2B of lace 2 are paid out side-by-side along to midpoint 1A. Using the example given above, a distance of, say, 5½″ (138 mm) is measured backwards (from midpoint 1A) along the parallel laces and both are cut through. The effect of this is to remove an 11″ (275 mm) length of lace, symmetrically either side of midpoint 1A. Allowing for the tying of a simple knot 3 at the cut end of each separate lace 2A, 2B, each half lace 2A, 2B will now be essentially 12″ long (300 mm). Using the aglet 9, each half lace 2A, 2B is threaded via recess 6 through one of the holes 8 and pulled tight so that knots 3 are drawn into recess 6 and locked into the conical void defined between internal walls 7. This confinement of knots 3 inside housing 1 will compress the knots and stop them coming undone. After tying knots 3, any excess length may be trimmed off or, in the case of nylon laces, sealed in a flame.

Housing 1 is placed on trainer 4 and half laces 2A, 2B re-laced using aglets 9, as shown (FIG. 1), leaving an essentially equal free length 2A, 2B on either side, which may conveniently be tied without having any surplus lace. Because any excess lace is trimmed off, the underside of housing 1 will be essentially smooth and not cause any discomfort, through the tongue to the wearer.

In FIG. 2, two holes 8A, 8B are shown. If required, a single, elongated hole (not shown) may be provided, provided that the knots 3A, 3B cannot pass through.

The replacement of an ugly knot with housing 1 (FIG. 1) gives an elegant solution to the excess lace problem. Housing 1 may be produced in different colours to provide an individual design feature to personalise a pair of trainers from the standard off-the-shelf versions. Optionally, two pairs of differently coloured laces 2 may be purchased and one lace 2A cut from the first colour of the other lace 2B cut from the second colour. Lacing with contrasting colours 2A, 2B will give highly personalised footwear. Such individualism may be employed even though the laces 2 originally provided may not need shortening.

As an alternative to tying separate knots in the ends of each part lace, the two part laces 2A, 2B may be joined together by a single knot. Ideally, the recess 6 is sized to accept either two separate knots 3A, 3B or a single knot (not shown). Ideally, the internal sides 7 of recess 6 are conical so that, as the knots 3A, 3B or single knot (not shown) are drawn into recess 6 by the tension in part laces 2A, 2B, the knot(s) will be compressed, thus minimising any tendency for either knot/the knot to become untied.

In the example given, herringbone pattern lacing has been taught. Other types of lacing are known, for example, when the laces run parallel to each other across the tongue (and parallel to the bottom lacing 2B, 1, 2A, shown in FIG. 1). In such a case, the portion of lace removed would not be cut symmetrically about midpoint 1A but asymmetrically at an appropriate point in lace 2. Apart from this, the application of the method is the same as taught above.

The invention disclosed above is a simple item, which is easy to use to effect a significant improvement in the safety of people wearing trainers and/or boots. It is particularly applicable to the footwear worn by children, where hurried attempts to put on and tie the footwear, with excessively long laces, have led to too many accidents and injuries. In addition to making a significant contribution to safety, it allows the child to personalise his/her footwear, which, of itself, should encourage the child to pay more attention to their trainers and tying the laces properly.

Though an essentially oval housing 5, 5A is shown, any basically planar shape is possible. As a fashion statement, children might prefer images of, say, cartoon characters, famous footballers, flowers or other designs. Thus, housing 1 might be given a range of different designs and shapes but the recess 6, with its conical sides 7, would be essentially the same in every case. Alternatively, housings 1 could be sized so that the recess 6 would be big enough to take laces of a range of different thicknesses/diameters. In either case, housing 1, with its images could become fashion ‘must haves’ for children. Even where laces 2 do not need shortening, housings 1 could be used as fashion icons, with lace 2 being threaded in through hole 8A, via recess 6, out via hole 8B and housing 1 placed at midpoint 1A and the shoe re-laced. Thus, whether or not it is used as a safety feature, housings 1 of the invention could add to the design aestheticism of young people's footwear.

Another application of the principle of the invention would be to produce standard long laces and supply the apparatus of the invention with each pair so that the laces could be shortened to fit any pair of shoes or boots.

Parents and those concerned with footwear will appreciate the invention and its application and be aware of variations of the principle, all falling within the scope of the invention. 

1. An apparatus for changing the length of a shoe/boot lace, while retaining the aglets in place, the changing of length being either shortening the lace by removing a portion of the lace from a suitable place between the aglets to create two part laces or effectively lengthening a lace by joining two separate part laces end to end, comprising:— i) either a full lace having had a portion between the aglets removed thus creating two part laces or two separate part laces from different laces, each part lace having an aglet thereon; and ii) a housing having an aperture(s); characterised in that a knot(s) is/are tied, or a restriction(s) is/are placed, adjacent to the cut ends of the two part laces and that the aglets on the part laces are threaded through the aperture(s) in the housing and the part laces drawn through until the knots/restrictions reach the aperture(s) and become fast at/adjacent to the aperture(s) so that the resulting lace is either shorter than before or is effectively longer than before, has an aglet at each end and the housing is located at an intermediate point and it may be used for lacing a shoe/boot and further where the two separate part laces may be of different colours.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two part laces are from a single broken lace.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, the two cut ends of the part laces are tied together by a single knot.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the two cut ends of the part laces are secured together by a single restriction.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein any excess length of lace between the knot/restriction and cut end is removed.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the housing is essentially oval and cylindrical in shape with apertures at opposite ends through which the aglet and a normal diameter lace may pass but a knotted/restricted lace may not.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the housing has any appropriate shape with apertures at appropriate points through which the aglet and a normal diameter lace may pass but a knotted/restricted lace may not.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the housing has a continuous upper surface and a recess in the lower surface.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the recess in the housing communicates with the lace apertures in the ends of the housing and the recess is sized to accommodate the knot(s)/restriction(s) at the cut ends of the two part laces.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the recess in the housing is so shaped that the tension in the laces draws the knot(s)/restriction(s) into the recess and compresses the knot(s)/restriction(s) to reduce any tendency for them to come untied/unsecured. 